Aging theories

Various aging theories can be used in determining the kind of care that should be given to the older people. These theories have similarities and differences which must be taken into consideration by the nurse while administering care. The two theories that will be compared and contrasted are the disengagement theory and continuity theory. In this case, the continuity theory is based on the fact that the central personality characteristics get more pronounced as the age of individuals advances. This means that people age successfully if they are allowed to undertake their roles as well as their adaptation approaches throughout their life (Marshall, 1999). On the other hand, the disengagement theory is based on the premise that since the older people get less active with age, they tend to get preoccupied with inner self hence disengaging themselves from most social activities thus allowing the transfer of power to the young people (Bengtson & Settersten, 2016). The similarities between the two theories are that both define the roles that are played by the aging people regardless of their level of involvement.

One thing that I learned from watching the video and reading through the theories is that older people have different needs. This, therefore, necessitates the application of the appropriate theory that would ensure successful aging of an individual. Nurses should not overlook some of the small behaviors that can guide on proper care administration to the older people (Alley et al., 2010). Due to this, one of the information that would have a significant impact on my nursing profession is how to apply the concepts of different aging theories. It is thus necessary to have a proper understanding of the underlying concepts that would guide in the proper administration of care to the older adults to enable them to undergo successful aging.